Question

Has anyone had to get a rhogam shot while pregnant?

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hi my name is sarah i recently had a miscarriage on august 4 (i was about 7 weeks along) after my miscarriage the doctors called me and said that i have o negative blood type and need to get this shot for my future pregnancy! well i never did go get that shot because im not sure how much it cost and my apt isnt until the 24th...now i have had unprotected sex and i know that it is a lot easier to get pregnant right after a miscarriage and im nervous because if i am pregnant again will i still be able to get this shot or am igoing to have another miscarriage...please someone help me! thank you all!

Mom Answers

A woman is at risk when she has a negative Rh factor and her partner has a positive Rh factor. This combination can produce a child who is Rh positive. While the mother's and baby's blood systems are separate there are times when the blood from the baby can enter into the mother's system (i.e. miscarriage, childbirth). This can cause the mother to create antibodies against the Rh factor, thus treating an Rh positive baby like an intruder in her body. If this happens the mother is said to be sensitized. A sensitized mother's body will make antibodies. These antibodies will then attack an Rh positive baby's blood, causing it to breaking down the red blood cells of the baby and anemia will develop. In severe cases this hemolytic disease can cause illness, brain damage and even death. Once you have become sensitized, the antibodies never go away and can pose risk to future pregnancies if that baby is also RH+. Rhogam suppresses a woman's ability to react to the RH+ blood cells.

You are not supposed to get it until your third trimester, I understand why they wanted to give it to you and honestly you probably should have gotten it regardless of how much it can cost. I am RH- and have gotten that shot numerous times. My cousin can no longer have babies because of not getting that shot and it attacked her blood cells, but me on the other hand, had a miscarriage in Nov and now am 37.5 weeks pregnant.....next time I would advise getting it.

First find out what blood type your partner is. Then is you suspect you are pregnant again, call your doctor immediately. They can run a bloodtest to see if you have been sensitized and if so they will monitor this pregnancy very closely. If your partner is RH - and you are certain of paternity, you have nothing to worry about.

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